HD Radio is On The Air!

This appears to be the "Year of HD"!

After many stations quietly launched their HD channels about a month or so ago.....no one paid much attention to it. Apparently there are not many radios in the field to rcieve these HD broadcast channels.

Sox Sportscaster Curt Gowdy dies

'Gowdy brought a warm feel to the broadcast booth, his commentary always full of good humor and enthusiasm. Baseball commissioner Bud Selig called Gowdy "one of the legendary broadcasters of our game."'

Thursday, February 16, 2006

WEEI's new home in Springfield...!

ENTERCOM ANNOUNCES THE SIGNING OF A DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE RADIO STATION WBEC-FM, IN SPRINGFIELD, MA

(Bala Cynwyd, PA February 17, 2006) Entercom Communications Corp.(NYSE: ETM) today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire radio station WBEC, 105.5 FM, in Springfield, MA, from Great Northern Radio, LLC for $5.75 million. Entercom plans to simulcast WEEI-AM 850, Sports Radio Boston with some additional syndicated programming and play by play. The acquisition is subject to FCC approval, which is expected in the second quarter.

In 2004 Entercom launched a successful simulcast of WEEI-AM into Providence, RI bringing the best of New England sports talk programming to this region. The response from listeners and advertisers has been outstanding. WEEI AM also simulcasts in Worcester on WVEI, 1440 AM.Julie Kahn, Vice President and Market Manager of Entercom Boston stated: "The WEEI program team is excited about extending coverage into the Springfield area. WEEI Sports Radio is one of the nation's truly unique radio stations and we know there is a great deal of interest in this market area for this programming."

Vice President of AM Programming for Entercom Boston, Jason Wolfe said, "To be able to take Dennis and Callahan, Dale and Holley, the Big Show and Mike Adams to the Springfield/Western Massachusetts area is another great step in our plans to expand WEEI's terrific brand. I am very excited about delivering outstanding Sports Radio to a whole new core of listeners."

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

WZLX Seat gets filled.....

Mike Thomas will take over PD duties at CBS Radio/Boston’s Classic Rock, replacing Beau Raines, who recently left to program Entercom Classic Rock KQMT (99.5 The Mountain)/Denver. Thomas will begin his new duties on Feb. 27, reporting to WZLX SVP/GM Mark Hannon.

"Mike has worked at several legendary rock stations across the country and we are very fortunate to bring his talent to Boston, continuing the 20 year legacy of WZLX under his leadership," Hannon says.

Thomas most recently served as PD of Clear Channel's Classic Rock KGB/San Diego and Rocker WFBQ/Indianapolis. His radio resume includes programming experience at WTUE and WXEG in Dayton, as well as WYMG and WQQL in Springfield, IL.

"I have been very lucky in my career, and now to have the opportunity to join CBS Radio and program WZLX is truly amazing," Thomas says. "This is a great radio station with some of the best air personalities in Rock radio." — Sarah Vance, R&R Staff Reporter

(I believe there is a current or past radio person in the Boston-Worcester area named "Mike Thomas".....I'm almost 100% sure this is not the same one.)

# posted by A Radio Listener @ Wednesday, February 15, 2006 0 comments

Personalities Personal Web Sites....

You will notice in the lower left hand of the blog we have a listing of some of the personal web sites of Boston Radio personalities.

In an interview with ABC News, FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said the agency is currently pouring over stacks of evidence of potential violations of its anti-payola rules, spurred on by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's investigation that led to major settlements with record labels.

Monday, February 13, 2006

Whittemore out at WRKO...!

"WEEI maestro Jason Wolfe, under whose watch 850 AM shot to No. 1, will take over struggling talk signal WRKO beginning this week.Wolfe will be promoted to vice president of operations for WRKO and WEEI while current ’RKO operations director Brian Whittemore steps down.Word is, Whittemore, a former Boston radio guy who came to ’RKO in September, wants to return to Minneapolis.Since coming to the talk station, Whittemore has overseen a number of changes, most dramatically the departure of longtime morning man Peter Blute. He’s also added a nighttime lifestyle show, beefed up business coverage and added weekend programming.But apparently it wasn’t enough to cure the signal’s perennial ratings doldrums. By moving Wolfe to ’RKO, the Entercom bosses are obviously hoping that some of the sports station’s magic can rub off on its sister signal. WEEI boasts of being the No. 1 rated sports radio talk station in the country and has posted No. 1 numbers in the most coveted demos. Which is nothing to Whine about. "

WILD weekday mornings for Myers - The Boston Globe

Longtime Boston sports commentator Jimmy Myers returns to the air Monday on AM radio station WILD (1090) with a permanent slot hosting the weekday morning show. (Well, as permanent as anything is in radio.) Myers, whose outspoken ways made him a name on WEEI, has recently been guest hosting on NECN's ''Sports LateNight." Myers's show won't be focused solely on sports, however. WILD recently went to an all-talk format with most of the shifts being filled with national shows. The station promised the morning hours would be locally produced and has used local literati and politicos, including state Senator Dianne Wilkerson, since switching formats.

Carson Daly's 'Most Requested' show canceled

Carson Daly's weekly syndicated radio show 'Most Requested' will air its final broadcast March 31. The countdown show had about 100 affiliates. Premiere Radio Networks, syndicators of the one-hour show, plan to relaunch a new show hosted by Daly that will concentrate on exposing radio listeners to emerging and new artists as he does in his TV show, NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly. Artists such as Maroon 5, The Killers and Joss Stone made their late night debuts on Daly's NBC TV show.

A new show? Emerging New Artists?

I would think the "most requested" show was easier for WW1 to clear than one with new and emerging artists

BTW....the largest radio syndicator Westwood One, has revamped their web site to feature some easy-access to infor about WW1 shows, and some audio, etc.

The revamp will soon feature podcasts of celebrity interviews and CBS Radio news updates and specials. (Look for a subscription fee that will give some exclusive content.)

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Set the VCR, errr....Tivo...

The behavior has been unethical, improper, illegal and a sanction of some severity clearly should be imposed. NEW YORK STATE Attorney General ELLIOT SPITZER says that his office's two-year long payola investigation is turning to the nation's nine largest radio conglomerates.

SPITZER speaking with reporter BRIAN ROSS from the ABC-TV news program PRIMETIME, said that evidence he has gathered clearly shows some of the radio conglomerates have accepted payments from record companies and middlemen for guaranteed airplay for certain songs. "The behavior has been unethical, improper, illegal and a sanction of some severity clearly should be imposed," said SPITZER.

SPITZER told ROSS that record company documents obtained in the investigation of SONY MUSIC and WARNER BROTHERS -- both who have settled with the attorney general -- revealed payments for songs that became major hits, including JENNIFER LOPEZ's "I'm Real" and JOHN MAYER's "Daughters." Other artists named in the documents include JESSICA SIMPSON, CELINE DION, MAROON 5, GOOD CHARLOTTE, FRANZ FERDINAND, SWITCHFOOT, MICHELLE BRANCH and R.E.M.

SPITZER claims that the new alleged payola differed from previous payola scandals in that much of the money went directly to the companies as opposed to DJs. "We have people in suits coming in with documents rather than cash payments under the table to a DJ," said SPITZER.

The nine companies that have received subpoenas are CLEAR CHANNEL, CBS RADIO, ENTERCOM, EMMIS, CITADEL, CUMULUS, COX, PAMAL and ABC. In statements to ABC NEWS, five of the companies have said that they are cooperating wiht the investigation and take the matter seriously, while the other four have not yet responded to requests for comment. A number of smaller, independent broadcasters are also under investigation.

The FCC also has it's own payola investigation under way, but SPITZER questioned the forcefulness of that investigation, telling ABC NEWS, "I would like to see the FCC more directly involved in addressing what is very clearly a payola scandal that has run rife through the industry."

The PRIMETIME program covering this subject is slated to air this THURSDAY evening (2/9) on ABC-TV.

# posted by A Radio Listener @ Wednesday, February 08, 2006 0 comments

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Severin responsible for decline in cabbies income...? ;-)

Here's a non-radio post about a mom who gave a cabbie a lousy tip because he subjected her to 20 minutes of Jay Severin on WTKK. ;-)

Said RAINES, "It is going to be a priveldge to program one of AMERICA's greatest and most unique radio stations. I am thrilled to have this tremendous opportunity to work with such a phenomenal and talented group of broadcasters."

Beau Raines Takes Mountain/Denver PD Post

A day after Dan Michaels resigned the post, former WZLX/Boston PD Raines takes the PD reins at Entercom Classic Rocker KQMT (99.5 The Mountain)/Denver.

Suburban Boston AM's sold....

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NORTH SHORE BROADCASTING CORP.'s WESX-A/SALEM, MA and SOUTH SHORE BROADCASTING CORP.'s WJDA-A/QUINCY, MA, both owned by JAY and JOAN ASHER, are being sold to OTTO MILLER's PRINCIPAL BROADCASTING NETWORK for $4.5 million, according to BUFFALO BUSINESS FIRST. MILLER is being financed by MERCURY CAPITAL PARTNERS III in the purchase.

AFTRA Challenges at WRKO....

ALL ACCESS hears that another AFTRA decertification may be coming soon, as the vote at ENTERCOM's Talk WRKO-A/BOSTON ends with 22 votes to decertify the union and 22 against but two remaining "challenged ballots." AFTRA remains the bargaining unit for the employees until the process is concluded.

''Pebbles is, like, actually one of the nicest persons on the planet," says Torres, who was an intern at WJMN (94.5) when he first met Pebbles. He weaves between honesty and jokes as he crafts his answer. ''I always say that I like to learn from people every day, and Pebbles, I continue to learn from her every day: how she treats people -- and she treats people good."

What Torres doesn't mention is Pebbles's facility with moving from the predominantly African-American audience at WILD-AM, the station where she says she got her start almost 17 years ago, to the multicultural audience Jam'n 94.5 attracts. What he doesn't mention is her ability to retain her job as cohost even as the morning show underwent a drastic change.

When the contract of her original WJMN partner, Baltazar, wasn't renewed in 2001 -- he resurfaced at WKTU's morning show in New York the next year -- Pebbles remained, which is often not the case when radio stations change the dynamics of a show. Management decided to pair Pebbles with Torres. Although the program initially faltered, temporarily dipping from second to fourth place among 18-to-34-year-old listeners after Baltazar's departure, it has since rebounded; Jam'n 94.5 is now the No. 2 morning show in that group. And many credit Pebbles as one of the reasons for that achievement.